Malting apparatus.



W. H. PRI'NZ'.

MALTING APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1904.

958,824. Patented May 24, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ANDREW B GRAHAM co, vuwovumcompnms msm m W. H. PBINZ.

MALTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1904.

Patented May 24', 19W.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. PRINZ, 01? OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F TWO-THIRIDS TO CHARLES A. IPLAMONDON AND GEORGE PLAMONDON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MALTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 19.10.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PRINZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Malting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to apparatus for malting grain, and has to do particularly with the malting of grain in drums or cylinders as distinguished from floor malting.

Different forms of drum-malting apparatus are shown in my pending applications, Nos. 170,414, and 170,417, all filed August 22, 1908, and my present invention has for its object to provide an improved rotary compartment malting apparatus embodying the generic invention of my said application 17 0,414, but differing therefrom principally in that the air used in the malting process is confined to the malting drum or drums, and does not enter the malting room in which the drums are placed, but is nevertheless distributed uniformly throughout the grain in the compartments.

To this end my invention, generically, comprises a compartment drum having an imperforate casing throughout with means for supplying attemperated air to the several compartments and distributing it uniformly throughout the grain therein.

My invention also includes the provision of means by which the air may be caused to flow through the malt by admitting it centrally or axially of the compartments and exhausting it therefrom near the outer portion thereof so that its course through the malt is from the center toward the circumference, or may be caused to flow in the opposite direction through the maltthat is,

from near the circumference of the compartments toward the center thereof, at the pleasure of the operator. This I accomplish as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and as hereinafter described.

What I regard as new is set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the drum; Fig. 2 is a horizontal view of the upper floor of a malt-house, showing the arrangement of the attemperator, the fan, and the fiues leading to the different air tunnels; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the malting room.

Referring to the drawings,-A-B indicate malting-compartments, and C an intermediate compartment, which together form the drum. It will be understood that the number of compartments may be varied as desired, and that an intermediate compartment C is provided between each pair of malting-compartments AB.

10-11 indicate the imperforate casings or shells of the compartments A, B, respectively, and 12 the casing of the compartment G. The shells 1011 are secured at their inner ends to heads 18-44, respectively, and at their outer ends to heads 15-46, respectively. The heads 13l4 are rigidly connected by a series of plates 17, as shown in Fig. 1.

18-19 indicate supports, which carry rollers (not shown), on which the drum rotates,-annular rails 20 being provided at suitable points on the drum to engage said rollers, as fully illustrated and described in my said application, Serial Number 170,414. The shell 12 of compartment C does not rotate,being secured loosely at its edges between fianges 2122 of the heads 1314, respectively, as fully described in my application Serial Number 170,414, filed August 22, 1903. The ends of the shell 12 are separated and fit closely around an air-conduit 23 at the bottom of the drum,-which conduit communicates with an air-tunnel 24, as shown in Fig. 1.

25--26 indicate conveyors, which receive and carry off the grain from the drum-compartments,suitable manholes being provided in the drumcasings for the discharge of the grain therefrom.

2728 indicate perforated conduits, which extend longitudinally of the compartments AB and are concentrically disposed,- their ends being fitted in the heads of their respective compartments, as shown in Fig. 1. The inner ends of the conduits 27-28 are closed by plates 29-30 securely fastened to the heads 13-14, respectively,-forming airtight closures at those points.

31 indicates an air-conduit, which communicates through a T-conneotion 32 with an external extension 33 of the conduit 27, as described in my former application, Serial Number 170,414.

34 indicates a conduit at the other end of the drum, which communicates through a T-connection 35 with an extension 36 of the conduit 28,-the arrangement being such that t-he drum, with the extensions 33 and 36, may rotate freely, meanwhile being in communication with the conduits 31-34, as described in my said application, Serial Number 170,414. The conduit 31 communicates with an air-tunnel 37, and the conduit 34 with an air-tunnel 38.

39-40 indicate valves in the conduits 31-34, respectively.

41-42 indicate perforated conduits in the outer portions of the compartments A-B, respectively. The conduits 41-42 are secured in the heads of their respective compartments at short intervals, their inner ends projecting through the heads 13-14, respectively, into the compartment C, as shown in Fig. 1,-thus communicating with the compartment C.

During the process of malting the drum rotates slowly,-the result being that the upper surface of the grain therein assumes an inclined position; consequently there are always some of the conducts 41-42 that are not covered by the grain in the compartments, and such uncovered conduits have their inner ends temporarily closed-thereby, for the time being, making them inoperative-by shields 43-44 secured to the casing 12 and overlying the inner ends of the exposed conduits 41-42, as described in my said application.

' 45 indicates swinging cover-plates for the outer ends of the conduits 41-42, as shown in Fig. 1.

The drum may be rotated in any suitable manner,-preferably by worms 46, operating in connection with worm-wheels 47, as described in the applications above referred to.

As best shown in Fig. 3, a series of drums are arranged side by side in the malting room D-which is preferably on the lower floor of the malt-house-and the tunnels 37-38 extend longitudinally of the malthouse under said malting room, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.

48-49 indicate flues, which communicate, respectively, with the tunnels 37-38, and terminate in a room E containing an exhaust fan 50, by which air is exhausted from said fines and the tunnels 37-38. V

Findicates the attemperator room, which communicates with tunnel 24 by means of a flue 51, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

51 indicates a flue, which connects the tunnel 24 with the fan room E.

48 and 49 indicate flues, which connect the tunnels 37-38, respectively, with the attemperator room F. Suitable Valves 55 are provided for each of said fiues 48-48 49-49 and 51-51", so that the flow of air through any or all of said flues may be controlled at pleasure.

52 indicates the attemperator, which is preferably of the construction described in my application, Serial No. 170,414, and is placed between the upper ends of the fines 48 49 and 51 and air inlets 53-54 through which fresh air is admitted to the attemperator room. By this construction fresh attemperated air may be supplied to either of the tunnels 24, 37 or 38, and may be caused to circulate or flow through the malt either from the center of the compartment toward the circumference or from the circumference toward the center. For example, if it be desired to cause the air to flow through the malt from the center of the compartment toward the circumference thereof, the valves 55 in fines 48 and 49". are opened and the valve in the flue 51 closed. At the same time the valves in the fines 48 and 49 are closed and the valve in the flue 51 is opened. Fresh attemperated airis thereby caused to flow down through fiues 48 and 49 to the tunnels 37-38, passing from said tunnels into the compartments through the conduits 27-28. Flowing outward through the malt, the air escapes from the compartments through the lower conduits 41-42 into central compartment C; thence into tunnel 24 and up throu h flue 51 to the fan room E. On the other and, when it is desired to reverse the circulation of the air through the malt, the valve in flue 51 is opened and the valves in fines 48-49 closed. At the same time the valve in flue 51 is closed and the valves in lines 48 and 49 opened. The fresh air accordingly passes from the attemperator room down through flue 51 to tunnel 24, whence it passes to central compartment C through conduits 41-42 to the malting compartments. Passing inwardly through the malt, it escapes through conduits 27-28 to tunnels 37-38, passing thence up through lines 48-49 to the fan room E. Thus by properly setting the valves in the different flues the fresh air may be caused to flow through the malt in either direction without otherwise changingthe apparatus. Furthermore, various other changes and arrangements may be made without departing from my invention which is not restricted to the specific details of the construct-ion described, except in so far as they are particularly claimed, but includes generically the subj ectmatter of the broader claims.

While I have illustrated my invention as applied to a drum of the type shown and described in my application, No. 170,417, I wish it to be understood that it is not re stricted in its application to drums of that type alone, but may be applied to any other form of drum to which it is adapted. So far as I am aware no one has heretofore provided a rotary imperforate drum with means for causing fresh attemperated air to pass radially through the malt either outward toward the circumference of the drum or inward toward the axis thereof at the pleasure of the operator whether operated by suction or other mechanism, and I therefore claim such invention generically.

That which I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

1. A maltin apparatus having a plurality of externally-1mperforate rotating maltingcompartments coaxially disposed, means connecting said compartments so that they rotate in unison, and means communicating with both ends of each of said compartments and arranged to cause fresh air to flow radially through said compartments simultaneously.

2. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate rotating malting compartments coaxially disposed, means connecting said compartments so that they rotate in unison, and mechanism for supplying fresh air axially to said compartments simultaneously and causing it to flow radially therethrough.

3. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally-imperforate rotary malting-compartments, a stationary intermediate compartment between successive maltingcompartments, means connecting said rotary compartments together so that they rotate in unison, and means for causing air to flow radially through said malting-compartments.

4. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate malting compartments, means connecting said malting compartments so that they rotate in unison, means for rotating said malting compartments, a stationary intermediate compartment between said malting compartments, and means for supplying air to said malting compartments, substantially as described.

5. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate malting compartments, means connecting said malting compartments so that they rotate in unison, means for rotating said malting compartments, a stationary intermediate compartment between said malting compartments, and suction mechanism for supplying air to said compartments, substantially as described.

6. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate malting compartments, means connecting said malting compartments so that they rotate in unison, an intermediate stationary compartment between successive malting compartments, and means communicating with said intermediate compartment and with the outer ends of said malting compartments for supplying air to said malting compartments, substantially as described.

7. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate malting compartments, means connecting said malting compartments so that they rotate in unison, means f r rotating said malting compartments, exhaust mechanism communicatin g with the inner ends of said malting compartments for exhausting air therefrom, and means at the outer end portions of said malting compartments for supplying fresh air thereto, substantially as described.

8. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of rotating malting compartments, an intermediate stationary compartment between said malting compartments, perforated air conduits in said compartments near the outer wall thereof, the inner ends of said perforated conduits extending into said stationary compartment, and stationary shields in said stationary compartment in the upper portion thereof for successively closing the projecting ends of said perforated conduits as the apparatus rotates, substantially as described.

9. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate rotating maltingcompartments coaxially disposed, means connecting said compartments so that they rotate in unison, perforated air-conduits in the outer portions of said compartments, and means communicating with both ends of each of said conduits and arranged to cause fresh air to flow radially through said compartments simultaneously.

10. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate rotary malting compartments, an intermediate stationary compartment between successive malting compartments, means connecting said malting compartments so that they rotate in unison, axially-disposed air conduits in said malting compartments, and air con duits in the outer portions of said malting compartments.

11. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of malting compartments, means connecting said malting compartments so that they rotate in unison, an intermediate compartment between successive malting compartments, and means for supplymg air axially to said malting compartments, sub- 7 stantially as described.

12. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate malting compartments arranged end to end, a stationary intermediate compartment between successive malting compartments, an attemperator room, means connecting said attemperator room with the outer ends of said compartments, a fan, means connecting said fan with said intermediate compartment, and means for connecting the outer portion of said malting compartments with said intermediate compartment, substantially as described.

13. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally inrperforate malting compartments, air-passages communicating with the outer portions of said compartments, and a stationary intermediate compartment, substantially as described.

14. Ainalting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate malting compartments, air-passages communicating with the outer portions of said compartments, a stationary intermediate compartment communicating with said air-passages, and axial air-conduits communicating with said malting compartments, substantially as described.

15. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate malting compartments, a stationary intermediate compartment, and means for causing air to flow radially through said malting compartments, substantially as described.

16. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally imperforate malting compartments, a stationary intermediate compartment communicating with the outer portions of said malting compartments, axial air conduits in said malting compartments, and means for causing air to flow radially through said malting compartments, substantially as described.

17 A malting apparatus having a plurality of externally-imperforate rotating malting compartments coaxially disposed, an intermediate compartment between adjacent malting compartments, means for rotating said malting compartments in unison, and means for causing fresh air to flow radially through said compartments simultaneously.

18. A malting apparatus having a plurality of externally-imperforate rotating malting compartments coaxially disposed, meansfor rotating said compartments, and means communicating with both ends of each of said compartments and arranged to cause fresh air to flow radially therethrough simjultaneously.

19. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally-imperforate malting ear-824 compartments arranged end to end, conduits communicating with both ends of each of said compartments, and means for causing air to flow simultaneously through the malt in the several compartments either outward toward the circumferencethereof or inward toward the axis thereof as desired.

20. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of rotary malting compartments arranged end tov end, a stationary intermediate compartment between said'malting compartments, and means for causing air to flow through the malt in said malting compartments either outward toward the circumference thereof or inward toward the axis thereof as desired.

21. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of rotary malting compartments arranged end to end, an intermediate stationary compartment between said rotary compartments, an attemperator room, a plurality of conduits, and means for conducting air from said attemperator room to said malting compartments so as to cause it to flow through the malt therein in either direction.

22. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally-imperforate rotary malting compartments arranged end to end, a stationary compartment between said malting compartments, an attemperator room, a plurality of conduits, and means for conducting air from said attemperator room to said malting compartments so as to cause it to flow through the malt therein in either direction.

23. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of externally-imperforate malting compartments arranged end to end, an attemperator room, conduits communicating with both ends of each of said malting compartments, and means for conducting air from said attemperator room to said malting compartments and causing it to flow in either direction through the malt therein, the direction of the flow ofair through the malt being the same in each compartment.

24. A malting apparatus, comprising a plurality of malting compartments arranged end to end, an attemperator, and means communicating with both ends of each of said compartments and arranged to conduct air from said attemperator-through said coinpartments either from the axes thereof outwardly through the malt or from the outer portions of said compartments inwardly through the malt, the direction of the flow of air through the malt being the same in each compartment.

WILLIAM H. PRINZ.

Witnesses:

J OHN L. JAcxsoN, MINNIE A..HUN'rER. 

